


To the Flame

by themetrocourt



Category: General Hospital (TV 1963)
Genre: Affairs, Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:15:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25495207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetrocourt/pseuds/themetrocourt
Summary: Brook Lynn has gotten herself all tangled up in Julian Jerome. It's messy - but then again, some of the best things are. Whether or not it is worth it in the end, remains to be seen. A series of drabbles based on where GH left off before the hiatus and where I would like it to go. Features JuliLynn, The Qs, etc.
Relationships: Brook Lynn Ashton/Julian Jerome
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> With GH working its way back into production, I feel inspired to write a drabble based on the chemistry I see between Julian and Brook Lynn. Right now it is sort of a one shot but I do think I could turn it into something longer if there is interest. It is based on where GH left off and nothing more. If you like this, please let me know. It means a lot to me.

She hates him.

It is easy to think it, even say it (and believe you me, she _has_ said it - loud and repeatedly).

But there is just something about the way Julian touches her.

Brook Lynn shivers, her body automatically inching closer to him. His hand is on her shoulders, fingers lightly tracing long her collar bone towards the center of her chest. There is nothing overtly sexual about it but she already is anticipating what will come next.

(she knows after all; she has been here before)

The corners of his mouth quirk slightly. He is careful not to let his smug smile get too big. She is very adept at slapping his hand away and punishing him for pointing out her own flaws (she shouldn't want him; she should ground him under the heel of her boot for what he has done to her family). Instead, he looks at her with an air of disinterest, as if he is doing her a favor. His eyes though, they give him away. She sees the lust she feels reflected back in them.

He wants this just as much as she does (hence the fingers dancing along the side of her neck to card through her hair).

"You just gonna stand there and touch me or -"

She doesn't get to finish her smart aleck comment. His hand suddenly curls around the back of her neck and he pulls her forward. She stumbles, her knee digging into his thigh but he doesn't seem to mind. In fact he balances her out by banding an arm around her waist. His mouth is on hers immediately, kissing her with the same intensity as every other time (they can't seem to do things halfway; or be gentle for that matter).

Brook Lynn's hands land on his shoulders, her nails digging into his shirt. She wishes she had gotten it off him first. She wouldn't mind leaving a mark or two on him; a little reminder that she doesn't play nice either.

_Maybe later_.

Right now, she kisses him back, grazing his bottom lip with her teeth. One of these days she just might bite him. If she does, she will blame it on the heat of the moment but they both know she is aching for a little revenge.

Julian has perfected the art of kissing while walking, effectively maneuvering them so her back hits the wall. She lets out a muffled groan of annoyance (she doesn't like being bumped around like she is a piece of furniture) but it passes quickly. She is more forgiving in moments like this; he knows it and takes full advantage.

He has started the kiss and he is the one to end it too, turning his head slightly so that the stubble of his beard scrapes across her cheek. Both of them are breathing heavily, the only sound in the empty bar.

This is her moment to leave.

She still has all her clothes on and most of her wits about her. He is a damn good kisser but then again, so is she. She knows better than to let him leave her senseless. She had once thought she could do that to him but learned quickly that they are evenly matched in that regard (they are evenly matched in a lot of respects; something that neither of them truly want to acknowledge). So she can take those wits (and her self respect for that matter) and leave him standing there with nothing else but a cold shower to help him out.

Of course, she doesn't. She never does.

His hand moves downward now, skimming over the front of her shirt and tucking into the waistband of her skirt. He gives her a little smirk this time and she narrows her eyes. Her hands aren't busy now but they can be, his cheek might not like it however. A moment later she is supremely glad that he had locked the door behind the last customer or else they would get an eyeful, given that the bottom half of her outfit is currently pooled around her feet.

When he sinks to his knees in front of her, she reaches down to tangle her fingers in his hair and then takes in a deep breath to brace herself.

**X**

"Here," he says, his voice gruff. He sticks his hand in her view and dangling from his finger is her bra. "You might need this."

Brook Lynn reaches out to snatch it away from him, scoffing as she does so. "Don't sound so pleased with yourself."

"Given how you sounded a few minutes ago, you are pretty pleased with me too," Julian points out. He must be truly relaxed because he is tempting fate and seemingly doesn't care. He pulls his jeans up, leaving them unbuttoned at the moment. He leans over, hooking a toppled chair in his hand so he can right it. Thankfully, it is only destruction they have caused tonight (his bar has fared much worse).

She doesn't let him get her on his hook, despite the size of the bait. She slides her bra back in place, followed closely by her shirt, maintaining as much decorum as she can for a woman who just defiled the top of a table. Her body is humming and she swears she can still feel his hand tightened around her hip.

"Don't go all quiet on me now…"

She huffs a sigh of annoyance, her eyes sliding upward to look at the ceiling. She can't blame him fully; she had walked through that door an hour earlier knowing it would lead right to this moment. Still, she gives him a look. "You think you are pretty damn funny, huh?"

He shrugs his shoulders (still bare, apparently he is not in as much of a rush as her to get his clothes back on). He then reaches behind the bar, and comes back with a bottle of beer. He tips it in her direction like some sort of peace offering. She figures she has earned it so she takes it.

As she takes that first drink, Brook Lynn is very aware of how he watches her. She likes to think that she has gotten to know the various looks of Julian Jerome since she first met him (what a disaster that was; what a disaster this is). He wants her still. There is a reason he is putting minimal effort into redressing.

Not going to happen.

Brook Lynn has things to do, places to be. She does not exist just for instances like this. This is just a fraction of her life, a stolen moment or two that she will not feel guilty about come the morning - okay, she will feel a little guilty, especially as she sits down to breakfast with her family.

(problem is, she still wants him too)

She finishes her beer in record time, toeing his shirt with her boot. "You're gonna need that. No shirt, no service...or something like that," she snarks and then sets the empty bottle on the bar top. The act puts her close enough to Julian for him to reach out and touch her (always a slippery slope). She stills for a moment, trying to decide which way she wants to go.

"Stay," he says, his voice quiet. She shifts her gaze to look at him and for the first time in awhile, she doesn't quite understand the look he is giving her. There is a softness in it that seems foreign for him ( _for them_ ).

She wants to. She almost does. Instead, she slips her arm out from underneath her fingers and delivers the death blow. "I don't think your wife would appreciate that very much."

She leaves a few moments later, his eyes on her retreating form.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for their support with Part One. I know that for some, Julian and Brook Lynn are not their cup of tea and I appreciate the support despite that. Thank you for the comments and feedback. They are every writer's lifeblood. Just a note - this drabble is set BEFORE the first one. It is the beginning of how Julian and Brook Lynn found themselves locked in an affair.

( _two months ago_ )

She knows it is after hours but he will be there.

(he better damn be there)

Brook Lynn feels her anger swirl around inside of her, making sure to touch each part and leave fury in its wake. She thinks if it were visible, she would have a hue of white hot red around her as she makes her way towards Charlie's. The lights are dim but it gives her enough of a view to see his outline. That _bastard_.

She pounds on the door hard enough that it rattles. He is in the middle of the bar, his back to her. She can see how his shoulders slump. She is obviously not the first time to come at him today but she is going to be the last. The most memorable. She is going to make sure that Julian Jerome understands the consequences of what he has done.

He finally turns his head just enough to look at her but makes no move to let her in. This does nothing to help the anger simmering inside of her. She smacks her palm against the window. "Open the damn door or I will beat down _so help me God_ ," she promises. They look at one another, a battle of wills brewing. Finally Julian concedes (perhaps just the battle so he can win the war) and moves towards the door.

He doesn't speak as he turns the lock and lets her in. Instead he steps back, leaving her on the entrance platform looking down at him. He is subtly blocking her way from plowing right through him to the heart of Charlie's. He probably thinks it will be easier to get rid of her if he doesn't let her gain any footing.

That's okay; she can do this from here.

Julian reaches up to loosen the knot of his tie. She follows the movement and then her mouth curls up into a sneer. "I should use that to strangle you," she says and though her voice is quiet, her intention is clear.

"Hello to you too, Brook Lynn," he finally says and he sounds as weary as he looks.

"What _the hell_ are you doing, Julian?" she asks, her fingers curling up into fists. She envisions beating against his chest but stops herself. Something tells her that he won't take kindly to any physical attack. She is better armed with her words.

"I could play stupid. I've done it all day. I'm good at it now." He flicks his wrist and frees himself from his tie completely (perhaps he is worried that she will follow through on her initial threat).

Brook Lynn shakes her head, her eyes rolling automatically. He is just going to stand there and give her the same bland answers as everyone else. As if they are confidants, as if they aren't friends…

(maybe they are not; maybe she has imagined herself a real friend in all this mess because she needs it more than she can admit)

"I'm tired, Brook Lynn," he says shortly. "So whatever has you all fired up, just let me have it. I guarantee it won't even be the worst thing I have heard all day."

That ruffles her feathers - the idea that she won't have any effect on him. She aches to prove him wrong but she is clueless how to go about it. She is left to state the obvious. "You married Nelle."

His eyes flutter close and his shoulders fall. Still he nods his head.

"Why? Why would you do that?" she asks, her pent up emotions spilling out of her and bouncing off the walls of the bar. He winces a little. "Do you want to stick it to _my family_ that bad?" Her family. The Quartermaines. Who seem to never have her back even though she is currently willing to fight on their behalf. Part of her recognizes the uneven exchange but she doesn't have time to explore it ( _open that wound_ ). She needs to focus on him.

He finally seems to come to life just a little, tipping his head back so that he is looking up at her properly. She sees just a hint of what makes Julian dangerous flashing behind his eyes but he doesn't embrace it (not yet). "I could care less about the Quartermaines," he answers. "Sure, it's fun to stick it to your father but if I was going to go on some revenge rampage against them I would go about it more carefully. Pick a far better partner in crime…"

Brook Lynn screws her mouth shut for a moment (she hates the idea of him and Nelle working together; she knows it - there is a part of her that wants to claim him as her partner in crime). Then she is back at him again. This time from another angle. "What is it then? You think that being married to Nelle is going to give you access to Wiley? In the off chance that happens, what does he call you? Grandpa Stepdad?" She makes a face and then shakes her head. "You can't possibly think she is going to get custody. After all the crap she has pulled. She'll be lucky if she can wave to him through a window once a week." He has fallen silent again and she realizes this is his best tactic. Because nothing seems to get under her skin more. Before she can think it through, she lashes out, her hand moving to shove against his shoulder. "Are you really that stupid, Julian?" she hisses and she moves to push him again.

He is quick, his hand shooting up and his fingers tightening around his wrist. He holds on even as she tries to pull back. She nearly lets out a cry of frustration but then her gaze is trapped by the simple band around his finger. She can't help it. She starts to laugh. It feels good, a much better release of her frustrations than yelling at him. That ring is pretty damn symbolic isn't it.

"You're stuck lashed to Nelle," she says, even as more laughter spills out of her mouth.

Julian uses his grip on her hand to pull her forward. She nearly falls into him (wouldn't he like that now?) but in the end manages to stay on her feet, teetering at the end of the step. She darkens her glare but he ignores it. "Because of you," he says, his voice calm and steely. "I am stuck with her _because_ of you."

She tries to pull herself free but he holds on tight, clearly not ready to grant her her freedom just yet. In fact, he looks like he has a little pent up anger he would like a reprieve from himself. She is not going to let him turn her into his metaphorical punching bag. "As much as I would like to think I had that kind of power, I don't," she spits back. "And I know you like to try to twist your way out of your decisions but you can't throw this at my feet, Julian Jerome."

"Who opened her mouth and spoke at great length about our particular arrangement?" he asks. "In fact, who did it right over there?" He jerks his free hand towards the bar as she screws her face up in confusion.

"Look, I don't know what you are thinking but I have _never_ talked about any of this with anyone but you," she points out. "And I am not stupid enough to do it unless we are alone."

Julian chuckles now but there is no real amusement behind it. "Sometimes the walls have ears," he tells her. "And blonde hair…"

Things fall into place and she sucks in a breath.

"She was here," Brook Lynn concludes, needing to hear it aloud.

"She was here," he repeats, his voice grim.

She hates it but some of that anger pours out of her and into the floor, never to be used (because part of her believes him; part of her whispers that this is because of her loudly in her ear). She gives herself a moment and then pushes back at him. "It's not my fault you didn't lock this place up tight," Brook Lynn tells him, not only fighting his words but also the guilt she feels. "Besides, you could have told her to go to hell."

"And have my son never speak to me again?" Julian points out immediately.

"I doubt he is going to to anyway when he finds out who his new step-mommy is."

Something passes over his face, a flicker of fear ( _pain_ ) but then he is shaking his head. "This is easier to explain away. It can be my last ditch effort to keep Wiley in our lives. Not exactly my finest moment but the grieving grandfather act is better than trying to explain how Lucas was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You mean that time you nearly killed him." She has enough in her to still try to take him out at the knees. Her hand remains on his shoulder, palm flat against it and fingers spread out. Does he even realize he still has a hold of her? Her words have done their job and she wonders what is going through his head (maybe that awful moment where he first understood just who was in that car; the guilt pools in her stomach yet again).

Then he is yanking her forward once more and this time she does come off the step, teetering for a split second and righting herself before he has to stabilize her. The action sets something off in her. She pulls back with all her might and breaks free. "Don't you ever put your hands on me again," she warns and she hopes he knows that she is not playing around. She is done being manhandled by men who think they have something to prove.

"Hit me," he tells her with a shrug of his shoulders. He steps into her personal space and they eye one another the way two wounded animals do (wondering who is going to lash out first; wanting to be the one to do the most damage to save themselves). "Kick me. Use that acid tongue of yours to call me whatever you want, Brook Lynn. I already told you I've heard worse today. My daughter told me that I am not worth wasting her breath on. My son will soon tell me the same and hell, despite their best efforts to be discrete, I am sure Leo will get an earful of just how awful his father is from the rest of the people in the Quartermaine mansion. So whatever you do to me - it's paltry in comparison."

Her face falls and her shoulders follow suit. She wants to destroy him but she can't cause any substantial injury to someone who is already broken. She steps backs, knowing that she is about to retreat. She actually feels sorry for him (and responsible; she is responsible). "- when she loses what will you do?" she asks quietly ( _softly_ ).

"I haven't a sweet clue."

(and that is when she realizes that despite everything, she is going to help him)


	3. Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying this fic! If you are, I would love to know! :)

Her phone beeps from under a pile of clothes.

Brook Lynn digs through it, scattering half her wardrobe around the room before she finally wraps her fingers around her coveted device. She has a feeling she knows what it is but still she takes a moment to scan the text.

**_M: Deception meeting at 1pm. Don't be late._ **

"Ah, Maxie," she says with a sigh, practically feeling the disdain dripping from the words. "So friendly." She shoots off a quick acknowledgement, wanting to remind Maxie that she has known about this meeting for over a week now. But she holds back, deciding to play nice (a business tactic Valentin has to repeatedly remind her of).

She has about an hour to kill before she needs to be at Deception. She should use the time to clean the place but the thought depresses her. She glances around the room, the bed taking up most of the space, the kitchenette jammed in the corner and the bathroom hardly big enough to do anything in. She keeps telling herself that this is not the worst place she has ever stayed. When she had been on tour there had been a string of rooms that had her looking for the chalk outline and police tape.

(it is just not home)

She gives in a little, picking up items of clothing to pile them back on her bed. Her wardrobe is by far the most prolific thing she owns and she has to figure out how to make the poor excuse of a closet work to her advantage. She scoops a shirt from the corner where it has draped itself over a guitar.

The sight of the worn instrument causes her stomach to flip and then twist painfully. It had been her father's, of course. A remnant from his Eddie Maine days gifted to her when she had first showed any interest in music. She drops the clothing from her hands, effectively undoing any progress she has made and reaches for the guitar. She moves backwards until the bed hits the back of her knees, sits down, and begins to play.

**X**

She is the last to arrive at the office even though she is five minutes early. She scans the room, taking in the strain on Sasha's face, the forced hopefulness on Lucy's and of course the disdain on Maxie's. Brook Lynn frowns a little. "Is Valentin coming?"

Maxie snorts. "No, he isn't. Your sugar daddy is busy. I hear running a multinational conglomerate is time consuming. He doesn't have time for a regional cosmetics company anymore."

Brook Lynn tries to bite her tongue. Tries but fails. "If I was going to have a sugar daddy Valentin would be a good pick. Rich, royal lineage - but you see, Maxie, some of us have enough self respect not to put ourselves in situations where we might get hosed." She watches as the words sink in and Maxie turns a rather interesting shade of red. She should feel bad for Maxie but then again, hadn't Maxie been extolling the virtues of _Perfect Peter_ last Christmas? It is like Maxie had invoked Karma to come down and smack her straight in the face.

"Ladies," Lucy begins, holding both her hands out. It has become her signature gesture in the last few weeks. She tries to keep the peace and for the most part Brook Lynn thinks Lucy does a decent job at it. But every now and then a battle breaks out and they find themselves on the edge of war.

Ideal conditions for business, of course.

"Let's sit down," Lucy is pointing to the round table tucked in the corner. It cramps the space in the room but there are already big plans to move to a better office once the company officially launches. "We have to go over the plan for the Deception launch party with a fine tooth comb. I want to make sure that this is the event of the year. We gave them a little taste at the Nurses' Ball but this night belongs solely to us."

Maxie opens a folder and spreads a series of glossy pictures across the table top. Brook Lynn lets her eyes run across them before she glances towards Sasha. "These are absolutely gorgeous," she says and surprisingly there is not a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She might not appreciate what Sasha did to Michael but she can appreciate a good photo. Sasha smiles but the action doesn't quite go to her eyes. Brook Lynn can live with that. She isn't here to make friends after all (especially given her current company). She is here to ensure that the dream she has been fighting tooth and nail for finally becomes reality.

"They are stunning," Lucy purrs, reaching out to pull one to her. She runs a hand over the image and grins. "So, we will have these blown up to poster size around the room…"

"It is going to be strange to see my face that big," Sasha admits.

"Wait until it gets billboard size," Lucy shoots back much to Sasha's discomfort.

The decor is the subject of the next few minutes and Brook Lynn resists the urge to tap her foot in frustration. She doesn't care about color schemes or 'carefully placed white columns'. She wants to talk music - that is her domain after all.

Finally it happens but not until she has zoned out so much that Maxie has to snap her fingers to catch her attention. Brook Lynn narrows her eyes in warning. She is not above snatching those fingers and giving them a twist ( _play nice_ she practically hears Valentin whisper into her ear).

"I was just saying that the song you sang at the Nurses' Ball was a perfect little glimpse into what we have got going. I assume that you will sing that on the night of the party," Lucy says with a nod of her head. "Along with this!" She holds up some paper triumphantly and then gives Maxie and Sasha each a sheet. Brook Lynn doesn't need it. She knows the lyrics to her newest song by heart (because she has carved them out of it of course).

There are a few moments of silence while the other women read over the song Brook Lynn is debuting that night. She can see Maxie's eyebrow arch subtly. "I have got to hand it to you," Maxie finally concedes as Brook Lynn waits for the other shoe to drop. "These are _really_ good. But then again, I suppose you are an expert on the topic of _deception_." There it is.

Brook Lynn doesn't miss a beat. " - at least I am the winning side of it." She shrugs her shoulders even as Maxie fumes.

"Okay, okay, so about the menu," Lucy says and she has that look again (the one determined to avoid disaster).

**X**

She decides she can reward herself with a drink after surviving all two hours and twenty three minutes of the Deception meeting. The elevator doors open to the Metro Court bar and she almost stops short.

Julian and Nelle. Dead center.

Never one to run, Brook Lynn soldiers on, moving through the room to slide onto a stool. She can feel eyes on her and she knows exactly who they belong to (he has seen every inch of her after all). She had been dead set on something light and tropical but now she orders a double rum and coke (she feels a bit like a teenager again, looking for a quick and cheap buzz).

It isn't long before her phone vibrates in her pocket. She tips her head back, looking at the ceiling for a beat or two. Then she sips at her drink, wincing at the inexpensive alcohol mixed with flat soda before she finally pulls her phone free.

_**J: Save me.** _

She resists the urge to look in his direction. She can't afford to land on Nelle's radar today. She has better things to do. After she finishes her drink (she should have gone with the tropical choice) she needs to go back to her tiny apartment and polish up her lyrics for the final time. She is recording first thing in the morning and she wants it all to be perfect. The Deception party may be small compared to some of the venues she has played in before but the audience will be much more sophisticated. She needs her music to weave around them and pull them in.

After all, a huge chunk of her revenue will come from downloads of those songs.

Brook Lynn has big plans for that money. First and foremost, she is getting the hell out of that studio apartment into something more fitting. She should count herself lucky that Valentin had been able to negotiate her an advance so she can actually have a roof over her head but she is done tripping over herself.

Whatever is left over she is investing in her career.

There is no way in hell Brook Lynn is putting all her eggs in the Deception basket. Although she has surprisingly high confidence in its future success, she knows that Maxie is bitter enough (the last few months have not been kind) to undermine her position in the company. If Deception decides to part ways with Brook Lynn Quartermaine, she will already have a nice little cushion to fall back on. Valentin had once called her shrewd and she wears that label proudly.

Her phone vibrates again. This time she ignores it completely, tossing back her drink in one foul swoop. She slides her payment across the bar top and moves to make her exit. She is just barely around the corner when she feels him.

(it always catches her off guard, just how easily she can sense him)

Brook Lynn doesn't turn around. "Early supper with Mrs. Jerome?" She can practically hear him scowl.

"You're ignoring me," he accuses.

She has to snort and finally she turns slightly so she can look at him. He looks worn down by an afternoon of entertaining his psychotic wife. Still, there is something about him that is so innately sexy that she almost reaches out to trace her fingers over his stubble. In the end, her hand falls to her side. "Of course I am. We are in public. You are with Nelle. The last thing I need is for her to come at me." She is confident that she can handle herself but she just doesn't want to. "In fact…" She leans ever so slightly so she can look back in the bar. She can't help but look puzzled when she sees that Nelle's seat is empty.

"Bathroom," Julian mutters.

"Ah, so you have what? A minute or two to try and seduce me?" Brook Lynn asks, her arms crossing one over the other.

Julian invades her space, looking down at her in the way he always does when he is sure of himself. "I have done it in less."

She is annoyed but mostly with herself. She has opened that particular door and let him waltz merrily in. She waits a beat or two and then smiles. "Right, right, let's talk about how speedy you are," she says with an innocent shrug, resisting the urge to laugh as his features cloud over. She can poke him but she knows she has to be careful. For weeks now, he has been on edge. It is only a matter of time before he throws himself over.

She doesn't want to be the cause.

With that in mind, she softens her features. She even reaches out, her hand landing on his arm. "Look, we both know we have to be careful." Even this, a simple conversation, feels illicit. She lets her arm fall back to her side in the name of appearances. "If you want to see me, how about tonight?" She shouldn't be doing this. She has too many things to do. She doesn't have time to twist herself up with him in the bed above his bar.

Yet she _wants_ to.

Julian appears to be considering her offer as if it isn't a foregone conclusion. The nod of his head is almost imperceptible. When he turns to go back to his own personal prison, he skims his fingers across her stomach. She can't help but shudder.

It isn't until she is safely tucked behind the elevator doors that she pulls her phone out again.

_**J: I need you.** _


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a big thank you for your continued support! You may notice similarities to how the show has handled things. I am combining bits and pieces but not claiming that they are my original ideas of course. In some cases, the show and I have had similar ideas about where to direct the storyline.

He is tracing small circles into her hip and she is near sleep.

(she wishes moments like these could last forever)

Brook Lynn knows she should be at home (if you can call it that), wrapping her head around the idea that she is actually going to get proper studio time in the morning. She is going to cut actual songs that people will get to hear and hopefully buy. For so long she has wanted nothing but her music but yet here she is, her head resting on Julian's shoulder while he does everything he can to put her to sleep.

She knows he wants her to stay. He has said as much the last time they came together but she is more cautious. For one thing, Nelle could stomp in here at any moment and then dramatically play the part of the wounded wife. For the other - Brook Lynn doesn't want to let it get that far. This is causal (it has to be). It is based on a mutual attraction that they seemingly can't ignore (boy have they tried). Staying overnight, especially here in the one place he feels like he can still call his own, feels like the furthest thing from casual.

Finally, she is able to break the spell, sitting up abruptly. The warmth of the last few moments falls away and she takes a deep break. "I should go."

Julian sighs. "You sure?"

"I am sure," she tells him. This time she finds her own clothes. Julian is not willing to aid and abet her escape. As she is hooking her bra she turns to find him fiddling with his wedding ring, twisting it off his finger and spinning it around in his hands. It is something that he does often, a visual reminder that he could care less for his marriage (let alone his wife). Brook Lynn had once asked him why he bothered to wear it all, especially after the custody case ended but Julian claimed it is a good reminder of the trap he is in. He knows the stakes and he has been trying to wiggle free ever since.

**X**

( _7 weeks earlier_ )

Brook Lynn notes that the door to the bar is unlocked. He is expecting her this time.

She lets herself in and finds him sitting at the table in the middle. There is a bottle of scotch in front of him and he is pulling hard from the glass. Surprisingly, though she had promised herself she would be, she can't find it in herself to be mad at him anymore. He has married Nelle to save his own skin. She understands that kind of choice all too well. Back her in a corner and she will lash out. Sometimes in doing so, she lashes out blindly and hurts herself in the end.

( _oh, that...that knows that better than well; especially at the moment_ )

"She took it that bad huh?" Brook Lynn asks, moving slowly like she is worried he may get it in his head to strike out at her since Nelle is off licking her wounds. She has been kicked enough as it is; she refuses to be a proxy for Nelle Benson of all people.

"Did you expect her to cheer losing access to Wiley?" Julian mutters and then he refills his glass.

She drops a bag besides the chair across from him and then moves to grab a glass for herself. She doesn't even ask. She simply takes the bottle, pours herself a drink and sinks down in the chair. "Oh I am sure it wasn't pretty. She doesn't do subtle. Did she kick? Scream? Claim everyone and their dead ancestors were out to get her?" Brook Lynn can picture each of those things. She had not needed to be in a room long with Nelle to know exactly what makes her tick (she suspects that some of those things are in her as well, but at least she is better equipped to manage them).

"I have to say, for Nelle, it was actually civil. She tried to plead her case, got shot down and then did her best impression of a mustache twirling villain with a 'you haven't seen the last of me yet' speech to Michael and Willow - but there was no bloodshed," Julian states, setting his glass on the table. He begins to slowly spin it.

"She's going to crawl into a hole and assess the damage," Brook Lynn summarizes. She gets that. She really does (she is about to do herself). "And then come out swinging again. She won't be able to help herself." She looks at him once more, taking in the exhaustion on his face. Her head tilts slightly. "Still, why are you so morose? Did you really think you were going to get custody of Wiley in some way?"

Julian snorts into his drink. He then sits back. One hand moves to cover the other one. It takes her a moment to realize he is playing with the silver wedding band, yanking it off and shoving it back on in an almost steady rhythm. "She might have lost the case but she is holding onto me for the time being."

Brook Lynn's eyes fall shut and she shakes her head. "What a bitch."

"I can toast to that."

"She is keeping you in her back pocket. So she can pull you out when she needs someone to do her dirty work," Brook Lynn snorts. She then falls silent - because hadn't she done that as well? She could get rid of that sleazy pervert with money so she had tried violence instead.

But come on - she hasn't thrown an innocent child into the mix.

"Thank you for stating the obvious," he comments. "I am just supposed to sit around being Mr. Nelle Benson in hope that she loses interest…"

"Oh come on," Brook Lynn says, reacting immediately and scowling as she does so. "Are you really sitting there trying to pretend you are some passive schlub?"

Julian's eyes narrow. "Excuse me?"

"This…" Brook Lynn throws her hand out towards the booze, the slumped appearance, the way he can't seem to pull that damn ring all the way off and slam it down on the table. "...is pathetic. _Truly_ pathetic."

"Brook Lynn…"

She doesn't heed his warning. She just continues. "You are Julian Jerome. You are no victim. There is a reason why I looked after Leo for a time - you know, keeping him safe from his _gangster_ father. Are you just going to sit there and pretend that Nelle Benson has outplayed you? Because if so, I gotta say - I really built you up in my head to something you clearly are not."

"Is this your idea of an inspirational speech, Coach?" Julian mutters and he is reaching for the bottle. She reaches to snatch it out from underneath him so she can refill her own glass first. "Gotta tell you - don't give up your day job."

Brook Lynn manages a smile despite everything that his words stir up. She doesn't need to focus on that right now (actually, she doesn't _want_ to). Focusing on him is much less painful. "You tried to kill your own son-in-law…" She feels something in her bulk at the statement because that move had almost ended in tragedy. "I would have thought that offing a wife would be child's play for someone like you."

"You sound like my sister," Julian rebounds.

"Is that a good thing or bad?"

"Good."

Brook Lynn is a bit taken aback by the compliment. She is used to throwing barbs back and forth. She doesn't know if it is truly a good thing to be compared to Ava Jerome but if it is in his eyes, she decides to leave it be. "Get rid of her."

Julian pauses and then leans in, his eyes narrowing once more. Only this time, he doesn't look angry. He looks intrigued, like he is trying to see inside her mind. "Bloodthirsty," he says before shaking his head. "Trying to kill someone is what led me here in the first place. It wasn't a long road but yet here I sit across from one woman who blackmailed me and married to the other. I think I am a little rusty in the death department."

"You can't just sit there and let her run all over you," Brook Lynn insists. She feels something in her. Maybe she is too raw at the moment, too close to feeling like she has fought tooth and nail to get her head above water (only for it to be dunked back down under by her own father). She is probably in no position to give sound advice. She has always been driven by emotion and now her emotions are haywire. She should leave him here to brood and get drunk. Instead she keeps talking. "Nelle doesn't deserve to have all the power. She deserves to be flat on her face, begging for mercy. So take your balls out of her purse and make it happen."

"Just like that."

"Just like that," Brook Lynn says and she is pushing through all her pent up emotions. "Look, if you won't kill her, we'll just find some other way…"

" _We'll_?" He jumps on that immediately.

"Like you said, I got you into this mess. It's only right that I help get you out."

Julian laughs and then refills his glass once more. She can't tell if he is doing so because he knows the cause is hopeless or because he is celebrating that he has a partner in crime. She doesn't want to dig in and find out. The day has been long enough and truthfully, if she sits here with him and a bottle between them she is likely to do or say something to make it all that much worse.

"But for tonight, I'll let you wallow," she tells him and she is standing already. "Next time, we start extracting that bitch from your life." She reaches down for her bag.

Julian, who has seemed slow on the uptake all night, suddenly notices that little detail. "What is with the oversized purse?"

Brook Lynn takes a moment, refusing to relive the last few hours. She has done well to push it out of her mind thus far. She won't let him pick at the one thread and unravel her. "- I may have gotten myself uninvited from the Quartermaine mansion," she says, affecting a casual air that she knows he can see through (however, she is counting on him to honor it).

"Ted kicked you out?" Julian asked, sliding an eyebrow up. "What an ass."

"I don't disagree but I would rather not talk about it," Brook Lynn says quickly. "Enjoy your hangover."

She has turned to leave before he speaks again. "Where you going to go?"

She doesn't turn back. She simply shrugs her shoulders. "I'll figure it out."

"It's getting late," he points out as if she hasn't realized that. She had spent the last few hours on the bench on the docks, questioning every choice that had brought her to that moment (and deciding that she had done the best she could with the options she had been given). "You can stay here."

She whirls to give him an incredulous face.

Julian looks surprised that he has said it himself. "You know...for the night."

"I am not sleeping with you," she shoots back immediately.

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, no one said anything about that."

"I mean, I am not sharing a bed with you."

He shakes his head. "I have to be truthful - I don't plan on getting up from this chair all night. You can stretch out all those limbs and think about what a jackass your father is in peace."

Brook Lynn finds that she doesn't wholly hate the idea.

**X**

"It's not like you haven't spent the night before," Julian reminds her. She isn't surprised to find that he recalls that moment. She had been at her lowest that night and probably would have agreed to just about anything that gave her a chance to get some sleep (not that she had actually managed sleep that night; she had stared at his ceiling instead).

"That was different," she points out, shimmying into her pants. "You were passed out on a table downstairs."

"Why are you so against this?" he asks. "This place not good enough for you?"

"Have you seen my place?" she retorts.

"Actually, no," he points out and she knows there is a deeper meaning to his answer.

"Look," she tells him as she pulls her hair out of her shirt and lets it fall around her face. "We are partners. The kind that schemes to free you from your marriage to a complete psycho. The rest of this…" She looks to the bed where he is still sprawled out. "...well, it's a bonus."

"A bonus?" he asks and he looks amused.

"Or something like that," she says. She grabs her purse and moves to leave. He grabs a hold of her wrists as she slips by. She looks down at him expectantly.

"The way I see it, our partnership is a failed enterprise," Julian points out. "I am still married. However...the bonus...well, that part is working out better than I expected."

Brook Lynn closes her eyes, shaking her head as she does so. "You're an arrogant jerk."

"Or something like that."


	5. Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your continued support. I know that Julian and Brook Lynn are not the conventional pairing but I really have enjoyed playing around in an alternative universe for them. I am planning on having it converge a little with the storylines that General Hospital is presenting so look out for that ahead!

If she is being honest, this is the most like herself she has felt in weeks.

Brook Lynn closes her eyes, her body automatically swaying slowly to the background track. She focuses on it, letting the music move over her, around her and finally into her. She can feel it in her bones and when she opens her mouth to sing, she finds that perfect balance between the melody and the lyrics. She is able to communicate the emotions the song requires because she is feeling them in real time. Her heart swells and clenches as her tongue skips over words of love and heartbreak.

For the two hours she has been given in the studio she is able to forget about how her life has taken such a strange turn. She does not think about her family and the mess she has made of it. She doesn't think of that small apartment that she can't come to think of as home no matter what she does. She doesn't think of Julian and how she needs to find that line between helping him and letting him drag her down with him.

She just _sings_.

When she finally comes up for air, slipping the headphones off her ears, she feels a sense of accomplishment. This has been a long time coming. Linc had tried his best to silence her, or worse, turn her into some manufactured version of a pop singer. Although it has cost her greatly to claim victory over that scumbag, she finally feels her win. She is making music - and it is _damn good_. Sure, some of her success is tied to a cosmetics company but this is more than promoting _Deception_. This is letting the frustration and the pain of the last few years finally come pouring out.

One of the sound techs gives her the thumbs up and she slips out of the recording booth. "Can I hear the playback?" She knows the song will sound rough around the edges; it still needs that final bit of polish to make it worthy of radio play but she needs to hear it if only to be sure that everything she felt has translated through the music.

A few mental notes pile up as she listens but for the most part, it sounds how she has thought it would. She can hardly stop herself from bringing her hands together in an excited clap. "Holy hell," she breathes. "It really sounds good."

"I agree."

Her head swivels at the words. On reflex, her shoulders pull up and she tilts her chin just so. She has complicated feelings when it comes to him. He is both her savior and the man who damned her depending on how she looks at it. Today, when she is full of elation over successfully being able to lay down a few tracks, she resents him and his intrusion into this moment (because she is forced to consider how she got here). "I didn't realize you were coming, Valentin," she says and her voice is clipped. He is no fool (and he has gotten to know her moods more than she would like). He probably already knows that he is on uneven ground and she would very much like to push him back over the edge. She hopes he steps lightly because of it. She doesn't want this moment ruined.

"Considering the song you just cut is for a company I am heavily invested in, you shouldn't be too surprised that I am here, Brook Lynn," Valentin counters. He stays a respectable length away, which she realizes pisses her off more. Somehow she wants him in striking distance in case he says or does something that warrants a reminder that she is not as naive as he wants to play her off as.

"You don't own my music," she says tersely.

"Well, legally, I kind of do. At least that track," he corrects but then gives her a smile. "However, as someone who dabbles lyrically myself, I believe more in the idea that music belongs to anyone who listens."

Brook Lynn makes a face. "Very nice - a diplomatic attempt at an answer. Of course I don't really buy it," she reminds him. "Because I know behind all those nice words, your mind is hard at work on how to twist everything to your advantage."

"I can't decide if that is a compliment or an insult," Valentin concludes.

"Take it however you want. I don't care what you think," she retorts.

This time Valentin is the one who furrows his brows. "I think you are forgetting who got you this shot - the contract with _Deception_ , the advance so you have a roof over your head, the recording time in this studio…"

"Oh I haven't forgotten. Just like I haven't forgotten that you are the man who sicced that sexual harasser on me in the first place," Brook Lynn tells him. "Giving me a shot doesn't mean that I have to smile and play nice. We have a written contract - my shares for your investment in my career. So you better keep on making sure that I soar to new heights or I am going to sue your ass." She gives him the very same smile he had tried to foist on her moments before (and thinks that, for a moment, he looks impressed). "Now if you excuse me, I am hungry. I've been hard at work making sure your company receives the best of the best - time for a little reward." Despite her best efforts to keep him from tainting this experience, Brook Lynn can't help but feel like he has sucked all the excitement from the room. She looks back at the tech. "Can you call me when it is all put together? I want to get that final listen first." She gives Valentin a last look before grabbing her purse.

She doesn't care what he says - her music is just that.

_Hers_.

**X**

She ends up at Kelly's where she nurses a plate of fries and a milkshake. Hardly conducive to a celebration but Valentin has thrown a bucket of water over her head (metaphorically speaking of course). Besides, she has a budget to maintain. As she angrily stabs a fry into the ketchup piled on the side of the plate she tells herself that after the royalties from her music starts pouring in she will do better than this. She will eat real meals again and find a place where her living room and bedroom are not the same thing.

(she misses the Quartermaine mansion; and not just because the cook made the best omelets)

She is mad at Valentin for ruining her good mood (she knows she is partly to blame but she isn't ready to fully acknowledge that). In the end her so-called reward is mostly left on the plate. She gathers her things and heads for the exit. She has no idea what she will do with the rest of her day. Maybe she will write. Maybe she will strum that old guitar that sits in the corner of her apartment (and wallow in self pity as she does so).

When she opens the door to Kelly's she finds a reason to stop short. Unfortunately there is no easy escape (it is quickly becoming the theme of the day). She stands there looking at Ned, Olivia and Leo. She wonders if she looks like a deer in the headlights (because she certainly feels like one). Before she or her father can react, Leo is rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Brook Lynn's midsection. She can't help but smile as she runs a hand through his hair. "Hey kiddo!"

Leo pulls back and he is eager to tell Brook Lynn everything she has missed over the past few weeks. She tries to keep up, nodding her head but in the end, she feels like she is drowning in information. Thankfully Olivia recognizes the panicked look on her face and moves to place a hand on her son's shoulder. "Let's go get that milkshake," she says once Leo is distracted.

"Oh that's a good idea," Brook Lynn echos, her smile returning in full force. "I just had one myself."

"Chocolate?" Leo asks.

There is a solemn sort of nod on her part. "Chocolate."

Leo grins. "We're going to the park. Are you coming with?"

Brook Lynn is caught off guard, her eyes sliding from her step brother to her father (she takes some solace in the fact that he looks surprised as well). She tries to think of a way to let Leo down but there is something about the way he is looking at her. She finds herself thinking of how small he had been when she had looked after him (never knowing that years later she would be tangled up with his father in the manner she is). She can't say no to Leo. At least not today. Maybe her defenses are down, wasted on Valentin and his attempts to play nice. "Yes." As she moves out of the door to the diner, she doesn't miss how Olivia looks at Ned. Part of her wants to go on ahead and wait for Leo to appear in the park but in the end, she forces herself to stand tall and stand her ground.

Silence.

Not that she has been expecting anything else. She is not apologizing for selling her shares, for doing what she had to when her back was pressed against the wall. If her father wants one, he will be waiting a long time (and he knows it because he knows his daughter). Despite the word _sorry_ not being on her lips, Brook Lynn is surprised at how badly she wants to tell him about her time in the studio. He will understand perfectly how she felt as she let the lyrics pour out of her. But then again, instead of being proud, maybe Ned will see it as a taunt - _see what I have got by selling the family out_. So she holds back and they are relegated to small talk.

"Everything is...working out okay?" Ned asks, and it is clear he has spent his silence fumbling around for the right words to use when unexpectedly confronted with one's estranged daughter.

She can't help but be irritated - that is the best he can muster? "Just peachy," she says and her tone is biting despite the happy smile that appears on her face. "I am standing on my own two feet and everything." She imagines that Olivia has prepared him extensively for this moment. Too bad she hasn't accounted for just how outrightly hostile Brook Lynn wants to feel over her father's rejection.

In fact, when Olivia reappears with Leo (who is blissfully unaware as he sips a milkshake), Brook Lynn can see it. Olivia looks between father and daughter and Brook Lynn knows she wants to invent some excuse to give them more time alone. Oh no, Brook Lynn is not playing along. She smiles at Leo instead. "Let's go," she announces, extending her hand for Leo to take.

And that is how Julian finds them, hand in hand as they enter the park.

Brook Lynn stops short, feet planting in the ground and eyes widening. She has not been prepared to run into him today, especially in this context. Leo is already breaking away and running towards his father, his sticky hands outstretched. Brook Lynn realizes she has never thought of what kind of father Julian is but apparently is the kind that does not care whether milkshake is smeared over his clothing. He scoops up his son and then looks to Brook Lynn. For a moment, the pair seem at a loss, perhaps because two aspects of their lives are smashing together in a way they haven't talked about. Then Julian's gaze slips over her shoulder.

"Ted," he says curtly and then has the audacity to look so pleased with himself.

Brook Lynn glances behind her to where Ned and Olivia stand. A playdate with her stepbrother where her father and lover supervise?

_What could go wrong?_


	6. Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the big gap between chapters. As I said with my other stories, I am back at work now and it makes it harder to update as frequently. I will try my best to ensure it is not AS long as this time. Thank you for your continued support.

Brook Lynn thinks she is handling this perfectly - juggling her father and Julian breathing the same air, knowing what she knows.

Her solution: _avoid them both_.

She throws herself into entertaining Leo, first pushing him on the swing until he declares he might throw up (who can blame him given how quickly he had downed that milkshake), then playing a game of impromptu hide and seek. She doesn't think that anyone will bat their eyelashes at her tactics until she goes one step too far.

Brook Lynn climbs into the sandbox next to Leo, adjusting her skirt as she does so. Her designer boots sink into the sand and it becomes painfully obvious how far she is willing to go. She glances back to find Olivia, Ned, and Julian all giving her similar looks and nearly sighs. Well, she's committed to this now. She may as well build a sandcastle (she makes a face at the thought of dirt getting so far under her nails that she may need to power blast it out).

"I miss you," Leo says and he pulls her back to the present so swiftly that she thinks she has whiplash.

She takes a moment to let the words sink in and then she gives him a smile. "I'm right here," she tells him even though she knows what he is getting at. Already she feels the guilt and longing curl together in her stomach. Leave it to a kid to cut through the crap and get right to the heart of the matter. The more she and Ned push at each other, the more she is deprived of _family_.

She misses him too.

"Mom says that you and Ned are having a fight. The kind that only grown ups have," Leo explains. He looks skeptical at the thought - as if there is truly a difference between fighting as a child and fighting as an adult. In some ways, he has a point. Brook Lynn is beginning to think that Leo is a wise guy, the kind that will be talking his way out of trouble in about ten years.

"Something like that," she confirms. She is starting to realize that her fight with Ned should probably stay between the two of them. She has let it spread across other aspects of her life and shut people out who didn't deserve it. "I'm sorry if I haven't been around lately."

Leo tilts his head and levels Brook Lynn with one look. "Sorry doesn't mean anything if you don't change your behavior."

Brook Lynn nearly snorts. "Your mother told you that, huh?"

Leo nods.

"I'll come visit you," she promises.

**X**

Olivia is fussing over Leo, wiping the sand from where it clings to his pants. Leo is tolerant but there is something in his look that is pure Julian. Brook Lynn laughs at the sight from her perch on the swingset. She decides she will wait to shake off the sand. She is due for a long hot shower anyway - something to wash away to turn this day took (hard to believe she had been in a recording studio singing her heart out mere hours before).

"You are good with him."

Brook Lynn jolts, nearly toppling herself out of the swing. She turns her head to level Julian with a glare. He has the audacity to grin at her and she knows she can't publicly call him on it. Not without having her father wonder why she is dressing down the mighty Julian Jerome. So instead, she rolls her eyes at him (a very _Brook Lynn_ thing to do) and goes back to slowly rocking in the swing. "I changed Leo's diapers for the first few weeks of his life," she tells him. "Of course I am good with him." She looks up at him again and finds something almost unsettling with the way Julian's features soften. She wonders what he is thinking and trips over her tongue to keep from asking.

(she desperately needs to keep feelings out of this mess)

"You monopolized my time with my son," he points out, leaning against the swingset.

"Sorry…"

"You wouldn't be avoiding any...say awkward moments would you?" he continues as if her apology had disappeared into thin air.

"You're a pain in the ass sometimes," she shoots back and that is the closest she will come to confirming his suspicions. It is enough though and he has a look of triumph on his face. She supposes he will take this as a sign that he is breaking her down, that despite everything she says, it is not just about what they do between the sheets. She tightens her fingers on the chains of the swing, determined not to give him anymore than she already has.

"I try my best to make a habit of it," he announces and the amusement laced in his voice picks at her temper. When she huffs in response, Julian chuckles. The sound twists inside of her and she doesn't like it.

Not here.

_Not now_.

She is just about to point that out when her father does for her. She hasn't noticed Ned eyeing them or she would have gotten off the swing and left Julian standing there alone. Instead Julian had captured her attention and now she is about to find herself right where she has tried to avoid being.

"Brook Lynn?"

Ned's voice is the equivalent to a dose of cold water being thrown onto her. Whatever quasi-flirting she had been doing with Julian ends and she stands up, ramrod straight. Despite her anger at her father, she does not want him finding out about who she has invited into her bed. Teenage Brook Lynn might have used an ill fated romance as a weapon to hit her father with but adult Brook Lynn is old enough to understand that no good will come of it.

His features are questioning as his gaze slides from Brook Lynn to Julian. For a split second, she feels entirely exposed, as if he will be able to guess every single detail of what has led up to this moment between all parties involved. She does her best to hold her own, to pull from that anger she feels about her dismissal from the Quartermaine mansion instead. Her mouth tightens and her chin tilts.

"Yes?"

Ned seems to back down just a little, the clipped tone of her voice cutting him off at the knees. Still his eyes dart back and forth once more. "Leo says you're going to come visit him?"

She nods her head. " _Him_ ," she reiterates. "Because it is not fair that he has gotten pulled into this mess. Unless that is not okay? You did say that I was not welcome in the Quartermaine house. I guess I need some clarification - is that a permanent ban or I am allowed admittance under certain circumstances?"

"You know you are allowed…"

"Good," she cuts him off before he can act like kicking her out can be just washed away by a few simple words. "Just making sure."

Julian, who Brook Lynn has been silently willing to keep quiet, takes his moment to chime in. "I gotta say, Ted, if this is how you parent, I have to wonder if you are a good influence to have around my son," he muses.

"As opposed to a criminal," Ned retorts immediately.

"I am just a bartender now. You should stop by Charlie's some time. I'll give you one on the house just to loosen you up a little." He grins again, nearly mirroring the one he had just given Brook Lynn (although she knows there is something in the way he smiles - like he is gloating to Ned about what he is doing with his daughter).

She is going to let him have it the next time they are alone (there shouldn't even be a next time if she is smart).

Brook Lynn is happy that the topic is Leo and not her but at the same time she is desperate to end the situation. If one pushes the other too far, who knows what will be said? She doesn't have time to clean up any more messes. So, she grabs onto the easiest thing to make it stop. "You two really want to fight in front of Leo?" she asks and feels a smidge guilty. She is not throwing Leo's name into the ring because she is truly worried about him seeing them fight (although that is part of it) - she just wants the pair to go back to their separate corners.

Ned has the good sense to back down first and Julian quickly follows suit, shoving himself off the swingset so he can say goodbye to his son. Brook Lynn watches him go, her shoulders slumping enough to appear more relaxed. That could have gone so much worse. She is grateful that she is not trying to defend her personal life in the middle of a public park.

But she is not entirely off the hook.

"You two seem awfully chummy," Ned comments. Her father is fishing. She is almost insulted by how obvious it is.

Brook Lynn shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head a little, casting off the suspicions he is trying to throw her way. "It is amazing who will listen when you're half drunk and homeless," she tells him, deliberately trying to hit him where it hurts. As deflections go, it is a solid one. "Julian's right - you need a drink. As someone who has recently found themselves waist deep in crap, I highly recommend it." She decides not to stick around and let him try to apologize again. She is not ready to hear it (and truthfully, she thinks he is not ready to give it truly). "Tell Leo I will see him soon."

**X**

She gets out of the park and is nearing her apartment building when he catches up to her. She should have known - her exit had been too easy. She sighs heavily as he slides into place next to her.

"That was fun," Julian quips.

"I bet," she tells him, luring him in with a smile. When she thinks he doesn't see it coming, she adds, "Must be fun needling my dad. Tell me, how close were you to telling him you were sleeping with his daughter? You would have won the argument for sure."

He slips his fingers around her arm to slow her pace. She realizes that he is always touching her when he can. Sometimes it is to entice her, to seduce her - and sometimes (like now) it is to keep her from slipping away from him. Her knee jerk reaction is to tug herself free but she knows that she can't. Not really. In the end, she wants to have this conversation.

Because she needs to know that he wouldn't have thrown her into the middle of the ring like a prize.

"I wouldn't have," he says and his voice is sincere. His words are accompanied by a softening of his features and she finds herself leaning into him a little despite the fact that they are on a sidewalk in the middle of the day. "I might like ribbing him but I would never do that to you."

Her eyes close and she gives herself a moment or two to enjoy that confession. Then she is carefully pulling herself free and putting some space between them.

"I'll see you soon."


	7. Part 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to heat up! The Deception party is here and BLQ is definitely in for a night to remember.

She looks so out of place, standing in the middle of her studio apartment in an evening gown. Its bright colors directly contrast the drabbness of her walls (she spots a few places where the paint is cracked and beginning to peel). She wants to laugh but she can't. After all, this is her lot in life. She has brought this on herself and she will be the one to dig herself out of it. She might be a Quartermaine by name, but she has been fighting tooth and nail for her place in life for a very long time now.

Heaven help the person who gets in her way (there are a few bodies littered on the floor already).

Still, she sighs as she smooths a hand over the front of her dress. This is her night. She can feel it. She can't help but wish that she could be enjoying it with her family instead of actively hoping they stay away to avoid a scene. She has no idea what her father will do but she will just have to cross that bridge when she gets to it.

Brook Lynn grabs her clutch from the middle of her bed and heads to the door. She needs to be at the Deception party before the guests start showing up. She is the talent after all. She has a feeling that Lucy will want to do some hand holding positivity circle and she will just have to grin and bear it.

When she opens the door she finds herself face to face with Julian. Her eyes widen with surprise as his roam over her appearance appreciatively. Then she is placing a hand on her hip and frowning. "What are you doing here?"

"I crossed that invisible line, didn't I?" he begins, leaning in the doorway. He takes up the entire space, effectively trapping her in her little hovel. She resists the urge to glance over her shoulder to see the mess he now has a front row seat to. She doesn't want to draw his attention away from her curves (they have always been a good distraction for him).

She nods her head. "You know the rules."

"Your rules. I never agreed to them," Julian points out. He tilts his head slightly and then reaches out to brush his fingers over her cheek. The move is so soft in comparison to the fight that is brewing between them. She is almost disarmed and shakes her head in response. He is not going to make her melt at his feet so he can step over her. This is _her_ space.

"I don't care," she quips. "You're not coming in - and you certainly aren't getting me out of this dress. This is a very important night for me."

"I know," Julian tells her. "Which is why I am here. I wanted to wish you luck. Although, knowing you the way I do, you don't need it. You are going to have them all at your feet."

For the first time she realizes that he is dressed in a suit and tie. Something pools in the pit of her stomach ( _excitement_ maybe?). "Are you coming?" She is still trying to work out how she feels about that possibility. She tries to picture herself on the makeshift stage, crooning softly about deception all the while knowing he is watching.

Yes, that _is_ excitement.

Julian nods, letting her soak in that feeling before throwing cold water all over it. "Nelle insists. If she can't be mommy to Wiley, she is going to make sure her face is all over the social scene of Port Charles." He pauses for a moment and something crosses his face.

Brook Lynn takes this opportunity to remind herself that being jealous of Nelle is ridiculous. Julian despises her very existence - and their marriage is the dictionary definition of the word _sham_. "That's why I am here."

"To warn me that you are bringing your wife to my party?" Brook Lynn asks with a laugh. "Don't worry, I am not the jealous type." Wait, did she just tell a teeny tiny lie?

Julian raises an eyebrow and she feels like he has been inside her head for the past few moments. She does her best to remain passive at the silent accusation. "No and I might question that statement at another time. But I am not here to see if you can turn a lovely shade of green, Brook Lynn," he begins with a smirk that softens into a genuine smile moments later. "I am here to wish you good luck. I won't be able to do that tonight. Not with a shrew dangling me on her arm like I am this season's accessory. I know you really don't need my well wishes - you will blow everyone out of the water. Just as you always do. But I wanted you to hear me say it just the same."

Brook Lynn doesn't quite know how to respond to that. There is something so touching about the gesture and she can't help it. She softens, moving back just enough so he can come into her apartment. He doesn't look around like she has feared. Instead he simply wraps his arms around her and leans down. His mouth covers hers and for a moment she loses herself in him.

Then she remembers that she has carefully applied her lipstick and is nearing the point where she will be late.

She pulls back and makes a face when she notes how his lips are now tainted with a dark shade of red. She makes a quick swipe of her thumb across them. "Best not let your wife see that," she tells him quietly. Then she can't help but add, "And thank you. For coming. For wishing me the best."

She knows all too well that some rules are made to be broken.

**X**

Brook Lynn had been right on the positivity circle. Sure, they didn't have to hold hands but there had been a rather rousing speech on Lucy's behalf while she, Maxie and Sasha stood in line like dutiful minions.

Now she is tucked away in her makeshift dressing room, applying a fresh coat of one of Deception's signature shades. She dabs at her bottom lip as there is a knock on the door. Although she knows it won't be him, she can't help but ride the high of her intimate moment with Julian. She calls for the person to come in.

And scowls in the mirror when she sees that it is Ned.

She should have known. Her father has no choice but to intrude on this moment. He is a Quartermaine - it is a family trait to dig in your heels and keep going no matter what the opposition does. Like Julian, he is dressed in a suit, meaning he is staying for the night.

"You look…"

She turns and eyes him expectantly as he trails off. The dress is something she has chosen without her father in mind so heaven knows what he will say next.

"...so grownup."

"I am, Dad," she reminds him. She has been for years. The fact that he is saying stuff like this now only points to how much of her life he has missed out on. She refuses to let him get sentimental over it. It is way too late now. "I am a fully functioning adult. Sometimes you tend to forget that. Or just choose to."

Ned's features tighten. He can tell she is on edge (good for him) but still he doesn't turn away completely. "Look, the other day in the park...seeing you with Leo...it made me realize just how badly we have to fix this."

" _We_?" Brook Lynn laughs, the sound echoing in the same room. "I am not the one who banished the other from your house. From _your life_."

"But you set things in motion…"

"I may have done what I thought was necessary to free myself from a bad situation but I am not responsible for how you react to it," she shoots back. This is not the vibe she wants for this night. She is meant to be climbing to the top, not sliding back down because her father wants to rehash something when it should have been done awhile ago. The fact of the matter is that this is shaping up to be their longest conversation in weeks. She can't help but be suspect about its timing. "Olivia pushed you to this, huh? Bless her, really. She can't help but be optimistic when it comes to family. But some things you just can't fix. You threw me out and you know what, Dad, I am starting to be grateful for that fact. Maybe I needed to realize once and for all that the Quartermaine family has never truly had my back…"

"Brook Lynn!"

"I am sure you want to argue that fact but I don't want to hear it. I've always had too much of my mother in me or maybe too much of my _grandmother_ in me to be fully appreciated for who I am. You want me to act like a Quartermaine but you have to remember I was barely around. I have no real loyalty to a family that doesn't have loyalty to me," she points out. She is cutting low and she knows it. She also knows that, like her father, she is speaking of a carefully curated version of her history with her family. She figures if Ned can cherry pick which moments to throw in her face then she can do the same in return. "So when you talk about family...or more accurately, a company that is supposed to represent our family I don't feel the same connection to it that you do. And I won't apologize for that. Just like I won't apologize for doing what I had to do to avoid being sexually harassed."

For a moment, Ned is speechless (and _wounded_ ). Then he is pulling himself together, inhaling deeply and pushing forward. "I know I have hurt you. Not just that night. But so many times before. I hurt you by not being there enough as you grew up. It would be easy for me to blame it on the state of the relationship between your mother and I but that is no excuse. Or at least not a valid one." He presses his lips together and Brook Lynn wonders for the first time if he is understanding all his transgressions towards her and not just the latest one. "God, Brook Lynn, I am sorry that I let it get to this."

Brook Lynn begins to chew her lip, her body reacting to those words automatically. He is sorry. She knows he is. Despite everything, she knows her father loves her in his own little way. She loves him too (even in the moments where it hurts her to do so). She just doesn't know if it is enough to fix the widening void between them. "I know you are," she tells him because she needs him to know that she believes him. He isn't deliberately cruel. He doesn't set out to hurt her. He just does and she has no idea if they can stop this cycle or if they are bound to it for the foreseeable future. She can feel herself cracking and knows that this is hardly the time to have this conversation. Just dancing around the edges of it is enough to make her crumble. She can't.

Not tonight.

Not when she is finally taking that step back into the spotlight.

"This isn't a good time, Dad," she says, her voice firm even though her eyes suddenly threaten to fill with tears. "I have to finish getting ready." Which now includes retouching her makeup. She has to look flawless. After all, she is selling a product as well as her voice.

"Of course not," Ned agrees and his head falls. She wonders if he has felt it. Like if he had pushed her just a little bit more they would be in the middle of a conversation they have needed to have for decades now. "But it has to happen sometime."

The thought terrifies her. "Maybe."

"In the meantime, I am here to wish you good luck," he says as he begins his retreat. "I have a feeling you won't need it but I am wishing it for you just the same." He gives her a sad smile. "I will be in the crowd watching you."

Despite everything, Brook Lynn finds herself heartened by that thought.


End file.
